We hear it time and time again. Care needs continue to grow exponentially, but the nation’s fragmented long term care system is not prepared to meet these needs. Although policymakers have recognized this complex challenge for decades, they have yet to sufficiently tackle it, and the cost of continued inaction is unsustainable with the aging of the baby boomer generation.
To chart a path forward, the Bipartisan Policy Center, with support from The SCAN Foundation, convened a private roundtable discussion in May 2025 with national experts. This work builds upon existing research, including the Compendium of Federal LTSS Financing Policy Options the LeadingAge LTSS Center at UMass Boston and ATI.
BPC’s work unfolds amid growing fiscal pressures at both the federal and state levels. In BPC’s roundtable, experts cited the pressing need to address the long term care challenge, noting that without sustained policy attention, recent progress could slow or reverse, yet they recognized that achieving comprehensive, long term care reforms remains challenging given the complex landscape and costs involved. Given these realities, experts underscored the need for pragmatic, targeted reforms to improve affordability and access in the near term while also building the foundation for broader federal reforms that will respond to the scale of LTC needs across communities in a sustainable way.
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) will present on its recent work to develop a practical, bipartisan framework for addressing the LTC financing challenge. The presentation will highlight key findings from the report and insights from the roundtable discussion among LTC policy experts. Speakers will also outline the current policy landscape and key considerations for advancing reforms amid fiscal pressures and political complexity.
Access to BPC’s report is available at: https://bipartisanpolicy.org/report/the-growing-cost-of-inaction-a-practical-framework-for-addressing-the-long-term-care-financing-challenge/
About the Speakers:
Allison Buffett, MPH is a senior policy analyst for BPC’s Health Program. Previously, she worked as a health policy analyst at Mathematica Policy Research, where she provided technical assistance and research support for Medicaid managed care programs and a Medicare alternative payment model. She previously held positions with multiple health advocacy organizations and the Senate Committee on Health Education, Labor and Pensions. Buffett completed a Master of Public Health from the George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in political science and social policy from Tulane University.
Kamryn Perry is a research analyst for BPC’s Health Program. Before joining BPC, she worked with a local nonprofit to create a summer program for disadvantaged youth in the area. Perry graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science degree in family science. She is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health with a focus on Urban and Maternal Health.
Accessing the Meeting:
PRE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/uRiwaXyAQtqn1DezGx8m-w
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If you have any questions. please click here to connect to our email. If you do not have Outlook, or if the link doesn’t work, you can contact us at ltcdiscussiongroup@gmail.com .
Meeting materials will also be posted once available on the Long Term Care Discussion Group website: http://www.ltcdiscussiongroup.org on the PRESENTATION MATERIALS page.
Long Term Care Discussion Group Co-Chairs:
Susan Coronel, John Cutler, Wendy Fox-Grage,
Mary Kaschak, Pamela Nadash and Eileen J. Tell
Long Term Care Discussion Group meetings are intended as forums for candid discussion. Dialogue and comments made during these meetings should be treated as off the record.
For more information about the Long Term Care Discussion Group, and for materials and information relating to previous meetings, visit www.ltcdiscussiongroup.org© 2019 A